GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the state's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and dynamic progress have increased due to the increase in public expenditure by almost 250%.
Chief Minister Sarma stated the impact of increased public expenditure, mentioning the noteworthy strides made by the Public Works Department (PWD), which is now autonomously overseeing the implementation of several high-value projects across the state.
Among the key infrastructure initiatives mentioned by the Chief Minister are:
-Bridges Across the Brahmaputra: The PWD is actively involved in the execution of 3 to 4 major bridges spanning the Brahmaputra River. These projects play a pivotal role in enhancing connectivity and facilitating smoother transportation across the region.
-Flyovers and Ring Roads: Assam is witnessing the construction of multiple flyovers and ring roads, aimed at optimising traffic flow and improving overall urban infrastructure.
-Kamakhya Corridor: A project highlighted by Chief Minister Sarma is the development of the Kamakhya Corridor.
Talking at a press conference, CM Sarma said, “Our Assam is now on the path of rapid development. In 2016, the investment or public expenditure in our state was about 42 thousand crore rupees. Today we spend 1,33,000 crore rupees every year on the state. From 2016 to today, 9 years of Assam’s public sector spending or public expenditure, can go from Rs 50,000 crore to Rs 1.5 lakh crore.”
“The state’s domestic growth rate, which we call GDP is likely to touch 6.50 lakh crores this year. That is, Assam today is ahead of India in terms of development and the key point, or what we call the trigger point of this development is the capital investment. Core wealth spending in our state was once quite limited and we didn’t have the ability to do much else after being paid by the state government. But, in the last three years, we have been steadily increasing the basic wealth of the state. The Public Works Department has the most responsibility or power when the wealth increases in the state,” he further added
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma further said, “At one time, we took the help of the Government of India to build a bridge over the Bramhaputra, but in the last 4 years, PWD of our state has taken up the work of 3-4 new bridges over Bramhaputra, that will do the same work that National Highways or other construction agencies do that we are moving forward with the goal of doing. Apart from the flyovers, like the medical colleges, we are now going to step into another stage; an iconic project, we are going to convert the Guwahati Nehru Stadium into an iconic project. Also, we want to make our Guwahati-bound route from Airport to the University, a 6-lane one. In Varanasi, like the corridor in Kasi temple, the construction of the corridor in the Kamakhya Temple will be undertaken in a similar way. We are currently undertaking challenging projects that are not usually undertaken by the PWD.”
